Dalton Borough tax collector to receive $10 per search

DALTON — At the Feb. 9 borough council meeting, council member Bill Montgomery, in his law and legislative report, mentioned that Dalton Borough tax collector Margaret Shepherd requested permission to collect $10 per search.

Montgomery read aloud a resolution authorizing Shepherd to charge and collect, not as compensation but as the tax collector’s costs, an amount not to exceed the sum of $10 per search and certification of records by the tax collector. Further, this amount shall be paid directly by the person requesting the information to the tax collector. The cost may be amended from time to time by Resolution of Borough Council.

Montgomery also announced a resolution authorizing the issuance of a tax anticipation note in the amount of $100,000, accepting a proposal of the Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank to purchase the Dalton Borough Tax Anticipation Note.

“This is something we do every year until the money starts coming in,” he said.

The board approved a motion to accept the offer of $100,000 from Fidelity Bank as a tax anticipation note with intent of paying back.

In other business, board member Kyle Brown mentioned that the Dalton Sewer Authority currently has a vacancy since Andrew Brandt, who was appointed last year, hasn’t been attending meetings since March 2017. He said the sewer authority has a new nominee Ned Clarke, who attended the last sewer authority meeting.

“He’s (Clarke) obviously willing to serve,” Brown said. “We now got something in the books that the other guy (Brandt) is off (the sewer authority).” The board voted to approve Clarke as a new appointee to the sewer authority.

In other business, Frank Bolock, in his solicitor’s report, announced the issue with the Novak property (210 Lackawanna Trail) will be settled on Feb. 28. He said the trustee will need to approve the settlement statement to determine the distribution of funds.

“Miss Novak (property owner Helen Novak) has formally agreed to waive the provisions of the agreement related to the structure and the personal property,” he said. “It’s basically been determined the property’s not structurally sound and the materials that are in the house are not salvageable. So, I expect everything’s going to fall into place by the end of the month.”